Monday, April 22, 2013

Boston Bombing Aftermath

Recents news | Even if you were thousands of miles away we cannot help but
to feel a range of emotions the day after the terror bombing attack at the
Boston Marathon. Los Angeles psychologist Emanuel Maidenberg, PhD, says that in
the wake of all that horror, it’s understandable that emotions are still raw
and intense. “People become vigilant, they look around, they become
apprehensive,” says Maidenberg, director of the cognitive behavioral therapy
clinic at the UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine. He added, empathy for
those killed or injured, as well as fear for your own safety and anger at the
bomber or bombers, are also common and normal at this time. One hundred fifty
and more are reported injured aside from the three people confirmed dead than
from two bombs that exploded near the finish line of the marathon Monday
afternoon.

He says, for people who witnessed the attacks, the same
emotions can surface, although they may be much more intense. “Some people feel
numb emotionally and some feel overwhelmed,” he says. “Some people feel they
have to start doing something right away to help other people.” Immediately
after the attacks, news reports told of runners who went straight to the nearby
hospitals to donate blood. “Some feel it’s best to withdraw and isolate
themselves,” he says. While the other emotions are healthy, withdrawing and
isolating are not, he says.

Boston Bombing Scene

For the runners, especially those turned back from finishing
the race, he says, there is also disappointment and frustration. The next
question would be how to coup up and how to handle the stress after the
bombing. For the first few days after such a catastrophe, Maidenberg says,
sharing your feelings with others can help. The tendency to stay plugged in
constantly to news reports, though, can be mentally unhealthy, he says. “We
want to know what’s happening, who’s behind it,” he says. That helps us deal
with some of the uncertainty.

He said it can also keep you from your regular activities,
which is good for healing. He then suggests limiting your news viewing. “My
advice is, you do want to seek accurate and timely information. Once or twice a
day, check in,” he says. The rest of the time, it’s better to go about your
typical activities, he says. This is the point in time where you must pay even
more awareness to your usual stress-reduction techniques and to do more often
than reducing the technique.It’s bright
to give yourself a reality check, too. “We should also remind ourselves that
the likelihood of this happening to us remains extremely low,” he says. While
those who witnessed the events firsthand may take longer to cope with their
emotions, anyone still feeling overwhelmed after 4 to 6 weeks should consider
seeking professional help, Maidenberg says.